Kris Harrison: Engineer's Career Journey & STEM Outreach at Leonardo

Kris Harrison: A Journey from Physics to Pioneering Engineering Innovation at Leonardo

In the dynamic world of engineering and technology, certain individuals stand out not just for their technical prowess but also for their leadership and commitment to fostering future talent. Kris Harrison, the UK Engineering Innovation Lead at Leonardo, embodies this dual commitment. Her remarkable career trajectory, from a university physics graduate to a leader steering digital transformation and championing STEM outreach, offers a compelling narrative for aspiring engineers and seasoned professionals alike. This article delves into Kris Harrison's impactful journey, exploring her significant contributions to engineering innovation at Leonardo and her dedicated efforts to inspire the next generation of engineers.

From Academic Foundations to Engineering Excellence: Kris Harrison's Career Trajectory

Kris Harrison’s professional journey at Leonardo began in 2002, following her studies in physics at the University of Nottingham. Joining the company’s graduate programme as an electronics engineer, she immediately immersed herself in a field that would become her passion. Her initial role provided a solid grounding in the intricacies of electronic circuit design, setting the stage for a diverse and impactful career.

What truly defines Kris Harrison's career arc is her proactive embrace of varied challenges and opportunities. She hasn't simply stayed within a single specialization but has actively sought out and excelled in a multitude of roles, each expanding her skill set and perspective. Her progression has included vital areas such as:

Electronic Circuit Design: Laying the foundational technical skills critical to hardware development.
Product Integration: Understanding how disparate components converge into a cohesive, functional system.
Environmental Qualification: Ensuring products meet rigorous standards for performance and resilience in diverse conditions.
Multi-disciplinary Engineering Management: Transitioning from a technical specialist to a leader, overseeing complex projects and diverse teams.

This rich tapestry of experience has given Kris Harrison a holistic understanding of the entire engineering lifecycle, from conception and design to deployment and sustainment. Her exposure to different sites, customers, and suppliers throughout her career has been instrumental in shaping her into a versatile and strategic leader. It underscores the value of continuous learning and adaptability in a rapidly evolving technological landscape, demonstrating that a strong foundational degree, like physics, can be a springboard to diverse engineering applications.

Driving Digital Transformation: Kris Harrison's Innovation Leadership in Support and Service Solutions

Today, Kris Harrison holds a pivotal position as the UK Engineering Innovation Lead within Leonardo's Support and Service Solutions (S3) line of business. In this role, she is at the forefront of delivering cutting-edge engineering innovations directly to customers. Her focus is on leveraging digital technologies to enhance efficiency, connectivity, and overall customer experience. This involves leading a highly skilled, multi-disciplinary team, showcasing her ability to manage diverse talents and drive collaborative success.

The team under Kris Harrison’s leadership brings together a broad spectrum of expertise:

Data Science: Extracting actionable insights from vast datasets.
Application Development: Building intuitive and robust software solutions.
Business Analysis: Bridging the gap between technical capabilities and business needs.
Customer-Focused Design: Ensuring solutions are user-centric and truly solve customer problems.

Together, they are dedicated to designing and delivering a suite of digital products—primarily data-driven web and mobile applications—that serve both internal stakeholders and external clients. These innovations are not merely technological upgrades; they are strategic tools designed to:

Create an enhanced experience for customers, partners, and suppliers.
Automate data acquisition, reducing manual effort and improving accuracy.
Deliver real-time visual insights, accessible anytime and anywhere.
Facilitate end-to-end supply chain integration, optimizing operations and transparency.

Kris Harrison's leadership in this area highlights the critical shift towards digital transformation within the defense and aerospace sectors. Her work exemplifies how companies like Leonardo are embracing Industry 4.0 principles to create smarter, more connected ecosystems. The impact of these digital products extends beyond individual tasks, fostering a more agile, data-informed operational environment. For an in-depth look at her strategies in this domain, explore Digital Transformation: Kris Harrison's Innovation Leadership at Leonardo.

The Agile Approach to Innovation: Design Thinking in Action

The field of digital development is characterized by its rapid pace and constant evolution, both in technology and methodology. Kris Harrison's daily work reflects this dynamism, as she navigates new challenges and opportunities. A cornerstone of her team's success is their adoption of Agile & Design Thinking methodologies, ensuring that innovation is not only swift but also deeply rooted in customer needs.

Understanding Customer Needs with Design Thinking

A significant part of Kris's role involves working directly with customers to identify pain points and areas where digital solutions can add substantial value. She regularly conducts Design Thinking workshops, a human-centered approach to innovation that involves:

Empathize: Gaining a deep understanding of customer challenges.
Define: Clearly articulating the problem to be solved.
Ideate: Brainstorming creative solutions.
Prototype: Building preliminary versions of solutions.
Test: Gathering feedback on prototypes and iterating.

These workshops are crucial for converting customer insights into tangible product development strategies. They ensure that the solutions developed are not just technologically advanced but also genuinely useful and user-friendly.

Iterative Development with Agile Methodology

Once insights are gathered, Kris's team employs Agile methodology to bring products to life. This iterative approach allows for rapid prototyping and continuous feedback integration:

Iterative Development: Products are built in small, manageable cycles, allowing for quick adjustments.
Customer Feedback Loops: Feedback is gathered continuously throughout the development process, not just at the end.
Collaboration: Close work with internal experts and external suppliers ensures the final products are secure, scalable, and fully functional.

Kris's typical day might include a blend of strategic planning, technical problem-solving, and relationship building:

Planning Reviews: Assessing priorities and tracking progress with her team.
Technical Brainstorming Sessions: Transforming a customer idea into a functional prototype.
One-on-One Meetings: Fostering personal and technical growth within her team.
Market Exploration: Visiting suppliers and attending conferences to stay abreast of the latest app and cloud technology trends.
Customer Engagement: Traveling across the UK to meet with clients and strengthen partnerships.

This dynamic work environment underscores the necessity of a flexible and proactive approach, qualities Kris Harrison exemplifies in her role.

Nurturing Future Talent: Kris Harrison's Passion for STEM Outreach

Beyond her demanding role as an innovation leader, Kris Harrison dedicates significant time and energy to a cause close to her heart: leading Leonardo's outreach programme. This initiative involves active engagement with schools and educational charities, with the primary goal of promoting engineering careers to young people. It's an area where she finds immense personal reward, highlighting her commitment not just to current innovation but also to the future health of the engineering sector.

The importance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) outreach cannot be overstated. With an increasing demand for skilled engineers and a persistent challenge in attracting diverse talent to the field, programmes like Leonardo's, championed by individuals like Kris, are vital. Her efforts aim to:

Demystify Engineering: Break down stereotypes and showcase the creative, problem-solving, and impactful nature of engineering work.
Inspire Young Minds: Provide relatable role models who can demonstrate the exciting possibilities of a career in STEM. Kris's own journey from physics to leading digital innovation is a powerful example.
Bridge the Skills Gap: Encourage more young people, especially girls and underrepresented groups, to consider engineering pathways, thereby helping to cultivate the talent pipeline for industries like aerospace and defense.
Highlight Real-World Impact: Connect academic learning to practical applications, showing how engineering contributes to societal advancement and national capabilities.

By actively engaging with students, sharing her experiences, and showcasing the tangible outcomes of engineering work, Kris Harrison plays a crucial role in igniting curiosity and passion. Her involvement underscores Leonardo's commitment to corporate social responsibility and its recognition of the long-term investment required to build a robust engineering workforce. It’s an inspiring example of how industry leaders can contribute meaningfully to educational development and inspire the next generation to tackle the grand challenges of tomorrow.

Conclusion

Kris Harrison's career at Leonardo is a testament to the power of continuous learning, adaptability, and passionate leadership. From her early days as an electronics engineer to her current role as the UK Engineering Innovation Lead, she has consistently driven progress, embracing complex challenges and delivering impactful digital solutions. Her expertise in Design Thinking and Agile methodologies ensures that Leonardo's innovations are customer-centric and responsive to a rapidly changing technological landscape. Crucially, her dedication extends beyond the boardroom, as her inspiring work in STEM outreach actively shapes the future of engineering, encouraging young minds to explore and contribute to this vital field. Kris Harrison stands as a beacon of engineering excellence and a passionate advocate for developing the next generation of innovators.